Affleck and Garner’s PR people are working overtime to blanket the gossip press

Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Divorcing After 10 Years of Marriage - FILE PHOTOS
Another day, another crop of stories about Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s divorce. Of course the public is interested, we want to know the details, but it’s interesting to me just how tightly the Affleck-Garner camp is trying to control the narrative. As we saw yesterday, there are multiple stories in multiple outlets with “exclusive” details, told in slightly different ways. I don’t think this is a case of an echo chamber of gossip, it seems to be a careful spread of information across the celebrity sites. At no point does anyone mention Ben’s dalliances with other women, as has been widely assumed, but you can bet the tabloids will dig that up. They had the split news over a month ago, after all.

Here are some of the stories about why they divorced. We previously heard how they’re going to divorce, with assurances that it would all be done amicably and with consideration for their children. If they’re able to pull this off as planned it sounds like a sane way to go about it.

Ben is “devastated” and they tried to save the marriage
People’s source: “He’s devastated. Nobody intends to go down this path. They both battled, and he really battled to try and save the marriage but ultimately it was the best thing for the kids and for him and Jen.

E!’s source: “You can’t simplify why a marriage breaks down. It’s not one thing. It happens for many reasons. [They] tried for two years to make their marriage work. They finally realized that they just couldn’t get there.”

They’re trying to make it easy on the kids
People’s source: “They’ve been separated for 10 months but he was living at the house,. These are things that they have consciously done because they want to make sure that this is as easy as they can make it on the kids.

Ben’s career got in the way of their marriage
TMZ: “[Jennifer’s] beef was that Ben wasn’t a ‘present husband.’ Fact is … Ben has had back-to-back film projects for several years, and spent much of his time out of town. The sources say Jen felt ignored and neglected, and they argued frequently over it.”

E!’s source:They were a great team as parents, but with each other, they didn’t want the same things. After spending a lot of time figuring that out, they came to the decision that the best thing for them and for the children would be to make a change.

Update: People story: “Ben’s frequent absences didn’t work for this marriage. Ben is a good dad when he is around, but he has so many outside interests and personal issues to get beyond. It had become a bigger problem than either had imagined.

They’re both committed parents
TMZ: “[Ben] is a great dad who does everything he can for the kids. [Jennifer] didn’t really have any beef about his parenting skills, her problem was with Ben as a husband.

E!’s source: “Jen is a great mother and Ben is a great dad.

Do you see how all these stories mirror each other? None of these outlets would be claiming exclusives with such detailed quotes unless they got them from official sources. This is one of the most well orchestrated celebrity divorces I’ve ever seen, although it’s early days yet.

In non-official stories, we have the inevitable rumor that Ben’s friendship with Jennifer Lopez was the catalyst for his divorce. You guys have said you would love it if Ben and J.Lo got together again and of course that would be good for gossip. While Lopez has admitted that she still occasionally emails Ben, and they did flirt at the Oscars, I doubt this is true. He ditched her just before they reached the altar and he’s going to be on the prowl for strange, not for someone familiar. Plus he has talked smack about J.Lo multiple times. He’s not going to open himself up to the kind of scrutiny that would go along with dating her again.

In related news, these two are carrying on with their careers. Affleck will appear at Comic-Con on July 11 to promote Batman v. Superman, and Garner made an appearance at a children’s hospital in Boston, to research an upcoming role, on Friday.

Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner Divorcing After 10 Years of Marriage - FILE PHOTOS

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, seen throughout their decade together, are filing for divorce

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, seen throughout their decade together, are filing for divorce

File photos credit: FameFlynet and Pacific Coast News

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199 Responses to “Affleck and Garner’s PR people are working overtime to blanket the gossip press”

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  1. lisa2 says:

    The worse thing to come out of this is that people are going to actually believe the tabloids.. DESPITE the fact that they print lie after lie after lie.. so now the tabloids are going to be believed..

    sad state of affairs.

    • Luca76 says:

      Eh it’s such an oversimplification to say that all tabloids lie all the time. That’s not how the gossip industry works.As we see here when it serves them celebrities feed information to the tabloids to suit their agenda. It was clear for a while that there was something to these stories.

      • lisa2 says:

        and here we go..

      • Luca76 says:

        But I’m right. Enough respected media has written about the tabloids that it’s been established that some of what is in those tabs is actually true. This isn’t the first story and it won’t be the last turns out. Obviously they aren’t reliable or ethical journalists and they don’t have the same standards as the mainstream media (which doesn’t also have great standards either) but there isn’t wrong with being skeptical of both the gossip industry and of image conscious celebrities.

    • Kitten says:

      I think what happens is that a rumor that is based on a kernel of truth will float around. After time, one rumor becomes lots of rumors. Those rumors perpetuate and create an ongoing narrative that basically writes itself.

      But I do think a lot of Hwood gossip is b*llshit. However, every now and then, the rumors are right. For a long time the Affleck-Garner break-up was a story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf when it came to the tab reports. After a while, I just stopped believing them. But what really made me wonder this time was the statement that their PR people issued: “They’re fine.” That’s when I started to really wonder..

      So yeah, I think there are clues that help us to determine whether it’s likely or not. Also, we have the bloggers at C/B playing detective so that helps 😉

      • jen2 says:

        The biggest tabloid “gets” have not really been based on rumors. The Duggar story was not a rumor, but legal documents, the Stewart making out in the park was just great timing, John Edwards and Sandra Bullock’s husband’s pieces on the side talked.

        This story is rumor based, but if you look hard at most of the tabloid stories based on rumor that turned out to be true, they are pretty rare. The break-ups they missed (Tom and Katie top of that list) while talking about break-ups that did not happen, the multiple pregnancies that never happened, the weddings they missed while saying the couples were over, etc., etc. If you look at the tabloids this week, you have multiple divorce stories, some with new victims, some with the usual suspects.

        The wash, rinse and repeat stories with a bit of tweaking are their bread and butter. They admitted to that much and sometimes, they hit the right timing, as is the case here. Tabloids don’t make money off happy endings, they make money off misery and gossip is mostly nasty and the nastier the gossip with big stars, the more attention it gets.

      • Luca76 says:

        The Duggar story came from people who knew the story talking about on the Internet on forums finally someone bit and looked into it and hit pay dirt.
        I’d bet someone sold out Kristen Stewart and tipped off the paps (Liberty???). Which goes to show that sometimes those ‘sources’ be accurate when it benefits them.
        I also believe publicists feed stories to the tabs all the time for various reasons.
        The inaccurate stories are there mostly because the bigger stars sell covers so whether or not they have a tale to tell they are usually blantantly revealed to be false within the story itself. Just to be clear I never trust gossip solely from the tabs.

      • Sabrine says:

        She was off filming movies too so he’s not totally to blame. I think she felt her career was stifled because if neither one of them was home, who would look after the kids. Adding the third child certainly didn’t help matters any. She probably felt like she was raising him on her own. He was not a present husband certainly and he was probably giving no more than lip service to the marriage.

      • Imo says:

        Kitten
        Well said

    • sophie says:

      It seems to me lately that even the “legit” media no longer fact checks anything. They just reprint what the tabloids say as fact and the same thing gets repeated everywhere.

    • lucy2 says:

      I don’t agree. The people who are willing to believe every tabloid story were probably that way long before this divorce announcement. Ditto for those who know it’s mostly BS but occasionally a story turns out to be true (Edwards, Tiger Woods,etc).
      I don’t see why one celebrity couple breaking up after some rumors circulated would change any of that, as it happens all the time.

    • Colette says:

      Less than ten percent of tabloid stories are true IMO.According to this weeks tabloids.Matthew McConaughey and Camilla are divorcing.Will and Jada are getting divorced and Jay Z and Beyonce are divorcing again.Last week Brad and Angelina were divorcing.The week before Faith and Tim ,and George and Amal were getting a divorce.If any of these couples get a divorce ten years from,the tabloids will scream we told you first.
      The same goes for the pregnancy rumors.If they keep saying a celeb is pregnant for years,eventually most of them will eventually get pregnant.

      • lisa2 says:

        That was my point.. I have seen comment on other sites saying “Well they were right about this divorce then they must be right about this couple divorcing or breaking up”.

        some people have that mentality. Be right once and they forget the hundreds of time they were wrong. And as someone said above. You see more and more legit news shows quoting tabloids and using them in their stories. Right now we have ever site and tv show talking about their sources.. there are not sources.. they are quoting each other and repeating the same things just changing it a bit and screaming we have an Exclusive. There are not exclusive nor sources.. just people digging up past stories and adding them to what they have now.

        Sad how people are so easily led and have no common sense to see this for what it is.

    • boredblond says:

      And the blind sites are rolling out the reveals! Blind gossip just posted one with a store security camera shot of him in Canada, en route to motel with a whoever. Mock or not, an awful lot of them do turn out true..probably more than the tabloids.

  2. Sabrina says:

    How gullible does Ben & his PR people think the public are to believe that he’s devastated over the divorce? The only thing that I think he’s devastated about is the ruin of his happy family man image.

    I expect that we’ll see plenty of pap strolls with Ben and the kids this summer as his PR people will be eager to make the public believe that he’ll still a family man that’s devoted to kids even though it was clear that Jennifer was the main caregiver and Ben did the minimum.

    • Obsidian says:

      I agree. Ben is devastated? That’s hard to believe. He’s the one who wanted out in the first place. It’s all about his public image now.

    • Tiffany says:

      Yep.yep.yep.yep.

      Great minds, Sabrina.

      Also, I do not believe that he is going to do well on the press tour for the Superman film. But I cannot lie, it is going to be trainwreck good.

    • Debbie says:

      He could be devastated. It never said he was sad about leaving Jen but the divorce two very different things. He could be devastated about the impact on the kids (he seems to be a good father, he isn’t the one using kids for image), he could be devastated at what this could do to his bank account. He could be devastated at the PR mess he has to deal with.

      Never does it state he cares about leaving Jen, just the divorce. I can buy that.

      • Absolutely says:

        I believe he’s devastated about the hit his image will take but that’s about it. He’s looked beyond over it for years. And by “it” I mean the whole family man thing. I don’t doubt he loves his kids, but he always looks like he’d rather be anywhere else than with his family.

      • jinni says:

        Isn’t using the kids for his image? Ha. You must not have been around when he was more then happy to smile and preen for the paps with his kids in tow during his Oscar campaign, especially after making that remake about not being full present (mentally) when he’s home with the kids in an interview. Ben (like a lot of celebs) only hate the paps when they have nothing to benefit from having their every movement documented.

    • PennyLane says:

      You got it.

      In reality, he’s going to love being a part-time Dad.

      • Elise says:

        I think what us normal people forget is that he has probably always been a part time dad. He doesn’t have a 9-5 job that allows for him to come home to his kids every night. He is gone for long periods of time and has worked on back to back projects for the last couple years.

      • tracking says:

        I think he’ll have to work harder as a PT dad than before, when Jennifer did EVERYTHING. He’s a pampered, selfish ass who will actually have to step up when she’s not around to do all the heavy living.

      • Bob Loblaw says:

        He doesn’t have to sacrifice his family for his career, it was his choice. Plenty of other actors raise children and stay employed and married. Ben is making a choice.

    • Sullivan says:

      Unpopular opinion, but I suspect he is devastated. He got to be the family man when it suited him; he had a wife who took care of everything (including his messes); and he still was able to act like a single man when he was away from home.

      • stoner says:

        Agreed. although I believe anyone would be devastated over the break up of their family. No matter how crappy of a participant you are, family holds inherent value and comfort. That said, I feel like he may have finally given up on this marriage because he has given up on his political aspirations; the PBS scandal is a tough one to get past.

    • notasugarhere says:

      I think this line was one of his underhanded swipes “They both battled, and he really battled to try and save the marriage”

      Are we supposed to believe he tried harder than she did? They’ve apparently been in counseling for two years and during that time he took on back-to-back work and was rarely home. How is that him really battling?

      • Liberty says:

        NOTA ….All this. And apart from the work (you can argue “strike while the iron is hot” in terms of careers in Hollywood), what about his lack of presence when he was in Vegas, in card games, etc? You lack time due to work commitments, and then you remove even more “battling to save the marriage” time by using the time you do have, to go elsewhere play cards?

        No doubt he was trying to be a good dad when he was around. No doubt both parties are feeling devastated in some way, it’s a sad time, be it for reasons ranging from broken hearts to financial to public image concernrs.

        But I am naturally side-eyeing the PR stories about how hard he tried from the team of a rumored gambling addict who may have had alcohol and skirt-chasing issues too.

    • fwiw says:

      Sorry, but I lol at the he is devastated and did everything to save the marriage stories. If he had tried he wouldn’t have spent so much time away filming, having affairs, gambling, drinking, and who knows what else. His family always came last so ….. no, he didn’t do everything to save it. How can your marriage and kids not suffer when you are hardly home and you are out there doing all these things that hurt your family. Samuel is only 3 years old!

      Boy is Ben trying to save his own skin with all this bs.

    • Sherry says:

      Yes and what I don’t get is how he wasn’t at home to be a good husband because of all of his work, yet we are to believe he’s this awesome father who is there for the kids? How does that scenario work? If he’s not there … he’s not there.

      And looking at the photo ops from the Farmer’s Market strolls these past few week, he looks miserable and she looks really happy. Maybe she’s relieved to get out?

      • captain says:

        @Sherry
        I agree, and how exactly he’s done everything he could to save his marriage? He didn’t cancel one single project. He didn’t go to rehab. He did destructive stuff repeatedly. What does “everything” mean? Not getting divorced straight away and waiting for the miracle?
        Jennifer doesn’t look happy, she looks strong, imo. She keeps up the front for her kids.

    • someone says:

      If Ben keeps trying to pull the “Devastated” act he is going to lose what few supporters he has. No one buys it. He’s better pushing the “I’ll work hard to be a better Dad now” route.

      • Debbie says:

        I think you’d be shocked how many supporters he has, and keeping this up or not isn’t changing my opinion about him. Marriages don’t always work however, it’s never all one persons fault they don’t. Plus I don’t buy the sweet dutiful Jen stuff.

      • Bob Loblaw says:

        If you think being married to an ego like Ben’s is fun, you’re deluding yourself.

  3. Tristan says:

    It is hardly surprising that a relationship fails, when the couple barely see one another for chunks of time. It seems to work for the Jolie Pitts, for example, because they work hard to spend a lot of time together as a family. It must be even worse to make a marriage work, when one of the pair has compulsion issues, like BA has with alcohol, gambling & perhaps extramarital flings. Given his weaknesses, it is actually quite amazing they lasted as long as they did

    • lisa2 says:

      Not really the same.. Brad/Angie usually travel together when the other is working. Other than that one time when one is working the other is there regardless of where they are in the world. I think Jennifer and Ben were taking turns but the other person was away working. But I guess they wanted the kids to not miss school

  4. MrsBPitt says:

    I’m sorry….I still think it’s sad anytime a family breaks up….I can’t jump on the bandwagon that this is going to be great gossip. It’s different if there are no children involved, and I’m not saying that Ben and Jen should have stayed together for the kids. I’m not denying that this is probably the right thing for all involved, if they have been so unhappy for so long. It’s just sad….

    • Lucy2 says:

      I agree, I think it’s sad.
      If they tried for 2 years to work on the relationship, I give them credit for making an effort and not just walking away right away.

    • Esmom says:

      I agree. I’m really not interested in further dirt. Them splitting up does sound like it’s the right decision, maybe even inevitable, but it is sad to think of the kids.

    • Crumpet says:

      Agree. I also believe he is devastated – who wouldn’t be? Divorce is a terrible thing, especially when you have children. Everyone wants to be part of a loving happy family. But some people are broken in ways that make them terrible partners. If they are not wiling to work on themselves, the partnership/marriage will break down.

      • Kitten says:

        +1

      • laura in LA says:

        +1

      • Harrison says:

        I agree. My mom’s husband was a skirt-chasing alcoholic who was mean, selfish and rarely made it home from work months on end despite the fact that he was a lawyer in private practice in a small town. She said he sobbed for more than two hours on the day they signed their divorce papers and seemed very genuine in his regret in that moment. But obviously he made little effort in the years leading to that moment. I occasionally recall that story and wonder what makes people tick. When that man died years later his business partner said of him, “Bad decisions make good stories.” Which is so true. Ben is certainly a character and has made plenty of gossip fodder.

    • Jayna says:

      I agree. Those kids are adorable and love their mommy and daddy so much. And it is the right thing to do, but that doesn’t mean these children aren’t scared and feeling a lot of pain. I know that Ben and Jen will really go about this in a very thoughtful manner trying to minimize their pain as much as possible. But it is very sad when a family first splits up and couldn’t make it, even if it’s the right thing to do for the long run.

      My co-worker, who is a friend, said this really hit home to her. She was in a bad marriage for years. They had four children, three exactly the same ages as Ben and Jen’s children, with a fourth child that was 12. She and her ex agreed to share custody. She said the children really were heartbroken and she would find out things later when one of the kids would tell her now sad they were and always wishing mommy and daddy would get back together, trying to eavesdrop on their parents conversations. The one little daughter developed stomach problems she was so sad over the split and would say prayers at night for their parents to get back together. She wanted the divorce because the marriage was extremely unhealthy. Her children are now doing great years later, and both have remarried. But she said that splitting-up time and that first year was really tough on the children and the guilt you feel for putting them through that is tremendous.

  5. Hautie says:

    Well it is nice to see that crisis PR firm is on top of it!

    As big as tool as Affleck can be… and it is nice that they are desperate to keep it civil. Yet, I see an ugly melt down in the future.

    The first time, Garner gets a new male friend. Affleck is going to go ballistic. He might not want her… but he sure as heck does not plan on anyone else having her either. So that will be about the time things go off the rails.

    Were as Garner had to put up with all his bad personal behavior during the marriage. I suspect her getting a new man… will make him act out in a very unfortunate way.

    • Luca76 says:

      I think she’s too smart and to image conscious to be out with another man for a very respectable amount of time. The gossip will come out of his implosion now that she isn’t babysitting him.

      • Julie says:

        i agree. i would be surprised of Garner did not have a sidepiece, people really believe she is a pure good girl. but she wont be seen with a new guy before Ben hasnt screwed up publicly.
        she needs the pity to boost her career, if Ben is seen with a younger woman her career will profit.

      • Hautie says:

        Oh, it could be two years from now… but when ever Garner starts to date. He is not going to take it well. Affleck is that “guy”. He never completely walks away from anyone. Not even Lopez.

        Remember his face… when he got told on camera that Lopez had married Marc Anthony. He was not pleased. At all. And he had dumped her too.

        No… Affleck will have a little freak out, when the Mother of his three children. Finds a new man. Just wait and watch.

      • June says:

        I get what you are saying Luca76, but I really think the vast majority of people just want to see Jen in a movie style “happy ending” before Ben gets too deep into his revolving door of inappropriately aged women. Bens thing will obviously be cocktail waitresses, model types and of course young starlets unopposed to casting couch politics. You just know it wouldnt be played up as “Ben is a pathetic over-40 fool” but rather “Jen is humiliated once again, how pathetic is she”. So no, I really dont think there can be a TOO SOON where she is concerned. Get out there Jen, its literally race now.

        Also, I know alot of people think a JLo reunion will happen (because everyone knows that JLo really is that dumb and couldnt spot a dysfunctional D if it was being waved in her face) but I dont see Ben messing with anything over 26 much less a 45 year old woman with two kids.

      • Luca76 says:

        Funny thing is I think Ben will implode, gad about with a string of model types, hit rock bottom, then clean himself up and be part of another power couple within 5 years.
        I’m guessing Jen will marry a Jim Toth type.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I hope this doesn’t devolve into a Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen type debacle.

      • Bob Loblaw says:

        Ben won’t marry again.

  6. Kiddo says:

    Closing italics. Did not work.

  7. YvesWestwood says:

    They both look great in the last photo. Those days are sure behind him.

    The headline photo was taken less than 10 months ago and they were supposedly separated- just goes to show what a sham they are.

    • Mia4S says:

      Lainey has a great story on the “10 month” thing up now. In short? Im convinced it’s BS. This is a recent split and PR spin.

      • MrsB says:

        Just read that. I think it is all PR spin too, but what I don’t understand, is why Jen would agree to go along with this to make Ben look good? Just for the sake of their children? I’m not sure I could show such restraint if I was in her position.

      • Elise says:

        I agree that the turning point was when he was caught in Canada with another woman. I think she doesn’t want her children hurt if the truth becomes public knowledge but I also think that Jen knows how to play the game. She knows that if she doesn’t go along that a lot of doors might close for her. If a franchise movie tanks because she blows the lid off of this story by telling the truth a major studio loses A LOT of money and that might affect her getting jobs and her social standing in Hollywood. I think she cares more about both of those things than she lets on.

      • bella says:

        laineygossip is implying that novia scotia trip was the turning point and it’s PR bull that they’ve been separated for 10 mos.
        so, who is that woman he was with in NS?
        i’ve said all along and have to stick with my theory and the gossip happening in boston…
        he was with jlo.
        but as lainey put out there, it could be that olga actress he made a movie with…rachel mcadams was in it, too.
        whovever it is, there are empires to protect…his, garner’s and the other women’s…
        that’s why i believe it’s jlo even more.
        the olga actress doesn’t have an empire that i know of…
        anyone???

    • laura in LA says:

      So true about the last photo…and that’s all I have to say. 🙁

  8. Jen43 says:

    I wonder if Jen is going along with this narrative because she doesn’t want her children’s father to be shredded. As much as I think this divorce is on Ben, I hope for the sake of their kids they can actually pull this off.

  9. GiGi says:

    Of course, no one knows all the reasons they are divorcing. But he reminds me so much of a guy I dated off and on for years. In the end, I found out that he was seeing another woman (he ended up marrying) AND still sleeping with his last girlfriend, IN ADDITION to wooing many other women on the side. It was like a compulsion. And I know he’s married to this one woman and I constantly wonder how he does it – like, did he just flip a switch and stop being a cheating liar who lies? How does that work? I see Ben the same way for some reason. Like, he’s not going to let a wife & kids slow him down too much.

    • BengalCat2000 says:

      @GiGi, I’m sure dude is still playing around & making excuses. I had a similar situation. The guy was just so great in bed, cute, a musician… I had to cut myself off from him. Too much emotional torture.

      I hope Jen moves on to bigger (heh) & better things. I’ve always thought she was so beautiful.

  10. Sirsnarksalot says:

    This marriage always seemed doomed to me. Jennifer was always dumping her guys to upgrade to the next one and with Affleck she tried to lock him in by getting pregnant fast. She quickly turned from the hottie from Alias to grumpy house Frau and he has a well known addiction/stripper problem. Each kid seemed to come on the heels of major divorce whispers as band aid babies or as a way for Jen to keep him there. I think she and he were never well suited and Jen finally realized the game is over and he needs to let him go. Lucky for her their parting will bankroll a very comfortable life…

    • Julie says:

      those are my thoughts, too.

    • Dana m says:

      +1

    • June says:

      She is independently worth 40 million most of which was made off of being the lead in a very successful show that is now in syndication, so those checks are still rolling in. And as you so graciously (nope) note, she is not a Real Housewife type. She doesnt spend her days draped in diamonds chasing the latest in shoes and bags, nor does she have a gambling problem. 40 million is far more than she could need in her lifetime, she needs no bankrolling.

    • Lurker says:

      Sirsnarksalot, I agree. The Saint Jen, long-suffering wife narrative has always bugged me. When she worked her way up the Hollywood food chain from Scott Foley to Michael Vartan to Ben, there’s no way you can tell me she had no idea what she was doing. She saw an opportunity to bag a big fish (and despite his career back then, he was still a big fish) who needed some rehab work. Back then, his addiction to cards, booze and strippers was well-documented. She got a firm hold in the Hollywood machine, and he slowly got his career back. She’s no saint in this, with her pap walks with the kids during Oscar season, and anchoring herself with the first kid and the last one (the only one I bet was planned was the middle one). And probably at one point they were in love. But those days ended (likely) before the 3rd kid was born. They both got something from this and there’s no way she was blind to all of his problems and didn’t know what she was getting into.

      • Jenn B says:

        I also have an issue with the “Saint Jen” narrative her people have been pushing for years. She seems wound way to tightly and was trying to control Ben as much as possible. You can take the Masshole out of Massachusetts but he’s stil a Masshole. Neither one of them comes across as nice people and she probably already has a jump off because that’s the way she is.

        The nicest thing that anyone can say is that they “seem” to love their kids.

      • Lurker says:

        Yup. I don’t believe the doting, doe-eyed saint routine for a minute. I do believe she loved him more than he loved her to her detriment (because she was probably deeply in denial when things started going sideways) but for the most part, she was right there doing what she needed to do. I also believe the tightly-wound bit too. These two people should have been a short-lived post-Bennifer fling, nothing more. She could have earned some cred by bagging a bad boy for awhile and then moved onto someone shiny and wholesome and he could have cleaned up his image without the family man routine.

      • Bob Loblaw says:

        Yeah, cause Ben never did any bed hopping or trading up, relationship style, right? Why does she have to have a cleaner record than her soon to be ex? You bitches don’t like her, fine, but don’t act like she’s sleazier than her husband. Her relationship history is a lot less sketchy than his, drop the sexist double standard.

    • LizzyFizzy says:

      I don’t think she’s a serial “upgrader” at all. Scott Foley said back in 2003 to People that there was no 3rd party in their divorce, just career pressures. He shut those rumors down. See: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,627110,00.html

      And has everybody forgotten the stories about Jen being set up by Spielberg with Tom Cruise when he was “wife auditioning”–and running like hell when he sent her all these crazy gifts, like a baby tiger? If she really was that ambitious, she would have been his new “Kate” before Katie Holmes–he was far more powerful and successful than Ben ten-twelve years ago: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-508583/Mission-Impossible-New-claims-Tom-Cruise-romantically-pursued-Jennifer-Garner.html

      I think she really adored Ben and put him on a pedestal, just from the interviews where she said (back when they were dating) that she wanted to take political science classes or something at UCLA “because he’s just so smart and knowledgeable, I want to be able to keep up with him.” It was a little sad, I thought, that she had such low self-esteem and rated her own intelligence beneath his. She thought he was all that and a bag of chips! She could have leaked rumors about his issues years ago (instead of trying to cover them up) and gone for another powerful guy with less drama, if she really was a climber.

      • Lisa says:

        You nailed it LizzyFizzy. She is not a social climber. Otherwise you will see her all over like JLO. But she is not a saint either in a way that in order to survive with your sanity intact you have to play Ben’s game and his team’s game. She has kids to protect. Lainey said on her site today, Jen ENDURED.

      • dottie says:

        If she didnt ‘latch on’ to Tom when that opportunity presented itself, that was because he wasnt tall enough. Jen has wanted the fairy tale, complete with the tall/dark/handsome prince:

        “”We all swooned … He’s your basic tall, dark and handsome. He’s it. You want him to save you. I can’t imagine anyone in the world I would rather see swoop in and save the day than Ben.”

        – Garner, on Affleck in Daredevil, in his 2002 Sexiest Man Alive profile
        http://bit.ly/1UdaUyA

      • Dana M says:

        I think part of the point was that she got herself pregnant to reel him in.

  11. The Original G says:

    Yes. He can understand why this didn’t work out when he spent all his nights at out of state casinos, drinking and blowing their money? What a great dad.

    Even when the casinos had to publicly embarrass him by outing him as a card counter (which just shows you that they didn’t even want the bad publicity his blow-up was going to bring) he stuck with them instead of getting help and going home. She’s well rid of him.

    • Jayna says:

      “All of his nights”? What, like five sightings in two years, and Jennifer was with him on the card counting night. All of his nights? Sure.

      Card counting is not illegal and most people have stated it shows that Ben is a very astute player. And he was thrown out because of that because he wins a lot money, not loses money. Casinos don’t want someone who consistently wins more than loses.

      • The Original G says:

        Jayna, player of Ben’s celebrity do not play in public rooms. They are ushered into private entrances and play in special rooms. I have direct knowlege of this. By the time, he was outed publicly he would have been through a long private process. Casinos consider the activites and expenditures of players highly confidential. The fact that he was publicly exposed demonstates how done with him they are.

        He’s put being an “astute player” above being an astute husband and father. He’s a gambling addict.

      • Dem says:

        Bens name consistently shows up in stories about Hollywood underground gambling rings, some of them illegal. Google.

      • LizzyFizzy says:

        Wasn’t there a recent book from a guy whose job was arranging (technically illegal) million-dollar home poker tournaments for rich Hollywood types that talked about Ben being a regular in his games? It doesn’t sound like he has to be in a casino to gamble on the regular.

        I imagine Ben does care about his kids and even Jen, just not enough to chose being with them over his lifestyle. They’re probably not exciting enough–he strikes me as someone who, in the words of O magazine’s Martha Beck, is hooked on pursuing the “high” of excitement (which is actually a form of flight-or-fight response), because he confuses it with happiness.

        Look at Jen telling a story about their kids getting lice and how Ben talked her into going out:
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwcG4TCEQ84&feature=youtu.be&t=51s

        Sounds an awful lot like he’s used “high maintenance” as a negative term (possibly about J. Lo?) that she is doing everything to avoid being called that by him.

      • laura in LA says:

        LizzyFizzy, the only problem with your theory about those high-stakes, Hollywood home poker tournaments…

        Ben was a major player in those, but he lost big once and was rumored to owe Universal Studios’ Ron Meyer about $400k: radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/07/ben-affleck-lost-ron-meyer-hollywood-poker-ring/

        So it’s possible that he was banned from these as well, if they’re even still going on. In any case, you can begin to understand why Jen might be anxious to make sure he doesn’t blow all their money, not for herself but the future of their kids.

        It also made me wonder if Ben had to agree to make certain films as part of the debt repayment?

    • LizzyFizzy says:

      @Laura, he certainly looked capable of blowing all his money in some of those photos from Detroit last May. He looked like he’d been up all night! I wouldn’t be surprised if he seeks out gambling opportunities wherever he can–Vegas, private games, online. That could explain why he’s looked tired in some candids.

      But which films could be that “repayment,” though? Meyer is an exec at Universal Studios, while many of Affleck’s more recent films are Warner Bros. projects. Maybe Smokin’ Aces back in 2006? That would fit the pre-success/post-Gigli timeline of the Radar story from 2011.

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475394/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_18

      • laura in LA says:

        Bingo! Smokin’ Aces sounds like the one…

        After he lost to Ron in about 2004, Ben disappeared for a few months. It was assumed that he was broke, but he’d never work in Hollywood again if he screwed a studio head.

        So I think Ron said, do this movie and we’ll call it even (or something like that). It makes sense if it was the only one Ben ever did for Universal, and since it came out in 2006, the timing also fits.

        And what was Smoking Aces about? The Vegas mob…

        Ben actually can’t go back to those games (and neither can anyone else), because they disbanded in about 2009. That’s when some serious sh*t went down having to do with Ponzi schemes, a possible murder and – what else – the mafia.

        Somehow, I doubt he’ll ever replicate that kind of high anywhere that he’s still allowed to play Texas Hold ‘Em, Blackjack or whatever, but you never know when it comes to a gambling man.

        For his sake, though, I hope the risk of directing major motion pictures is enough excitement for him now.

  12. danielle says:

    So this is shallow, but I was looking at old pictures of them, and while she was never a fashionista, she used to look pretty cute in photos, wearing flattering clothes. Why does she always look so frumpy now? She’s beautiful, fit and has money. Is it on purpose? To project a mature image? I’m oddly fascinated.

    • Zapp Brannigan says:

      I think it is to seem relatable to ordinary moms on a budget everywhere. That is the image she is going for.It also helps deflect that she cheated on several partners in the past, because who could believe that of that nice lady with the sweet family. But I am cynical like that.

    • MinnFinn says:

      I agree, given her resources, she could look fab on her daily pap walks to the park and school runs.

      I think the clothes are chosen so that soccer mom types who take their kids to see her in Disney family movies can more easily relate to her. Seems to me that her movie career is focused on Disney and family entertainment for awhile now. I don’t follow her so someone correct me if I’m off base.

    • jinni says:

      Maybe she use to dress cute when things were good, but once he relapsed and his addiction returned she just became depressed from having to deal with the draining existence that is living with an addict.
      Or maybe she just felt those clothes weren’t befitting a mother and was dressing in a way that made her not have to worry about her kids messing up her cute outfits.

    • LizzyFizzy says:

      Danielle, someone shared a clip of her on Jimmy Fallon talking about their kids getting lice and Ben convincing her to go out anyway with lice treatment in her hair. Something about it makes me think that her slide into boring clothes might be some combo of a.) really playing with/taking care of 3 young kids, b.) depression, c.) a fear of being “high maintenance,” since Ben seems to use that as a jibe.

      As I said to Jayna above, sounds an awful lot like he’s used “high maintenance” as a negative term (possibly about J. Lo?) that she is doing everything to avoid being called that by him–to the point that she didn’t take a shower when she wanted to!
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwcG4TCEQ84&feature=youtu.be&t=51s

    • Lisa says:

      I have a feeling, just a hunch, that it is Affleck who is controlling. I remember when she was promoting Alexander, she talked about her bangs. Her having bangs are a great deal at her household but her kids could care less. So I am reading it as Ben….

  13. Kiddo says:

    So what I gather is that they are both committed parents.

  14. Size Does Matter says:

    You guys probably already covered this, but I’ve been tied up the last two days. Thinking about timing. Counseling for two years, about the time To the Wonder wrapped up? Separated ten months, could be Gone Girl related. I don’t want those rumors to be true.

    Seems like Jen hoped she could change him, but underneath it all whatever his demons are (or personality disorder?) were too strong. It’s hard feeling like you’re the only one putting effort into the family. It’s also hard feeling like your husband’s energy budget is always spent on something or someone else.

  15. blue marie says:

    I dunno about their relationship but if it was bad then separating was probably the best idea, kids don’t need to be around it. Now they just need to remember not to make derogatory remarks about each other in front of their children.

  16. OSTONE says:

    Devastated? Yeah right. Devastated it didn’t happen sooner! See I was sure they were not going to pull the plug due to the Batfleck promo tour next year, which further tells me that it was her who was finally fed up.

  17. JoJo says:

    I actually agree with the stories being reported above. If you look back at my posts on this site, I’ve been saying those exact same things for well over a year, which is simply – they.are.two.very.different.people. Period. I believe they got married too fast, but I believe the fact that they stayed together for so long and had three kids was because there was a genuine love/caring, and they both genuinely wanted to have a solid family life. I think it’s pretty sickening the way people are piling on as if Ben is a d-bag. I do fully believe that he lives those kids and will aim to continue to do the right thing by them. Where this all broke down is that Ben/Jen were never – ever a good match. So, you can talk about his vices all you want, but even if they weren’t there, I don’t believe these two would have lasted as a couple. Again, young, too fast, admirable intentions, but just wrong as a couple. But everyone is now going to be intent on seeing him implode, as if he somehow deserves that. Very strange. But I guess it makes better gissip for everyone to go with the dramatic vs. the realistic.

    • Jen43 says:

      I agree with you that they are two different people, but I take no pleasure in the breakup of a family. I said above that I hope this narrative works for the sake of the kids. I am sure they both love their children and are committed parents. To say, however, that Ben has no demons is just not true. He was thrown out of a casino for counting cards. That is not something an occasional gambler learns. He’s been in rehab. Plus, you can’t blame this on age. They were both in their 30’s when they married and had enough life experience.

    • Ceda says:

      They are very different people true. But then that doesnt take away from the fact that Ben Affleck is a mega douchebag. He ditched his pre-Goodwill Hunting gf as soon as he won the Oscar. Cheated on Gwynyth Paltrow so openly and frequently that her family, who know a thing about indiscretions, loathed him. Cheated on Jennifer Lopez, openly visiting strip clubs and then later blaming HER for his negative image. And ofcourse cheated on Jennifer Garner. Openly admitting to not being present when he is with his children but then happily trotting them out when he has a project to promote or an image to repair. Putting pressure on a show to present his family history in the “white savior” model and over look that pesky slavery problem. We could go on, and on, and on, and on…………….

      The point is, this man is so douchey he is incapable of a relationship with anybody besides himself. I dont even believe for a second that he has a relationship with his kids. And please, he didnt marry her on account of some noble intention. The man who rocks up to strip clubs while engaged to a woman who only learns these things through the media, IS NOT NOBLE. He married Garner because his tabloid image had completely destroyed his film career. He married her and stayed married to her to rehabilitate his image, make himself more likeable. And being married to a woman who clearly adored him must have been an amazing ego boost for a guy who was the butt of every joke.

      Jen G is not perfect but my God, this man is such a mess, not even the most perfectest of perfect people could have a successful relationship with him.

      Heres my personal favorite Affleck douche moment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMq6xDHBKwQ

      I just love the bit where he asks her why her titties are so covered up and then smashes his big drunk face into her chest. Somebody give this man the Oscar for classiest interview in the known universe, ever.

      • stoner says:

        I remember a Garner interview where she admitted to taking some political science courses so she could have conversations with Ben because he was just sooooooooo brilliant, without any hint of irony or seeming ounce of awareness about his legendary decauchery on the Gore campaign and DNC rallies. I simply can NOT imagine how f’ing insufferable he must be at the dinner table.

      • LizzyFizzy says:

        +1. That Garner quote about taking classes made me shake my head back then–she put him on a pedestal. That’s why he married her: because she adored him and put up with him for a decade.

        He hit on Colleen Haskell on Craig Kilbourn’s show in the most ridiculous way back in 2001, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP5g2rF_AXs

      • Lisa says:

        Garner is the smarter one. No doubt about it.

      • Susan1 says:

        Whoa @ceda is that a real unphotoshopped interview? If it is I can’t imagine that not blowing up his image. He was drunk as could be on Sunday morning???

      • JoJo says:

        Well, to the above commenters, I didn’t say he didn’t have vices. To the contrary. I said obviously he does, but that doesn’t change the fact that they weren’t a good match as a couple from the start. Even removing all of his vices, they have always seemed like two completely different people. It just seems like everyone keeps harping on this idea that “if only” Ben wasn’t an ahole, “if only” he didn’t have vices, then all would be well. I highly doubt it – they weren’t a good fit personality-wise. That much is painfully clear at this point. It’s pretty much been put out there now that they’ve had big problems from the beginning, and they were due to fundamental differences in who they were. And by that I don’t mean, he’s an ahole and she’s Mother Theresa. I mean – they don’t fit, and it took 10 years of them trying to fit a square peg into a round hole to finally admit to themselves that it wasn’t working. It seems like people are bringing a lot of their own relationship baggage to this. They had a long-term marriage that didn’t work out, like most of America. Again, not saying he doesn’t have big vices – just saying, I think Garner would have continued to stay in the relationship despite those. I think the real reason it didn’t last is because the relationship always sort of seemed like she was chasing after him, from the very beginning, and it wasn’t entirely mutual. She wanted it. He wanted to want it. But they’re very different things.

    • FingerBinger says:

      No ever said he didn’t love his kids. I think he loves his kids but I think he’d rather be partying then playing family guy.

    • Bob Loblaw says:

      Oh come on, two people got together and had three children, they are both responsible for those kids and he very obviously flaked out on his responsibilities as a husband and father. Make all the excuses for him you want, he is responsible for his behavior and his behavior destroyed their marriage. Marriage is a commitment, not something you pretend to have for the cameras.

  18. Elfie says:

    I don’t think they were ever compatible, they never looked right together, she was the anti JLo and served to transform his image. Ben is all about the image he presents.

    She’s a dedicated homebody, defines herself as a mother, is very non flashy and needs someone who genuinely loves and respects those qualities, not someone who just likes the reflected ‘goodness’ associated with being married to someone like that for a while.

    He needs someone who shares his hobbies, interests, can keep him interested and who doesn’t openly worship him. Someone who’ll keep him on his toes.

    Different strokes….

    • kibbles says:

      It’s too bad that Ben chose to hide his real personality and not just own his douchiness like Leonardo DiCaprio. Jennifer (Garner) is not Ben’s type. Jennifer (Lopez) IS. Ben is swarmy and likes being with women who are trashy, hot, and sexy. He’s not the marrying type. If he had just done what he wanted, he would have stayed (possibly married) JLo whom I have always felt he had stronger feelings for than Garner. They would have eventually amicably split and he would have moved onto a younger hot woman like Emily Ratajkowski. I have met men like Ben and they are better off not marrying. Sure, they are gross, but at least they own who they are and do not ruin another person’s life trying to uphold some family man image.

      • Luca76 says:

        Nah Jen chased that dog for years even while she herself was married to Scott Foley and then involved with Micheal Vartan and he with JLo. He didn’t hide anything from her.

      • Ceda says:

        Very well put. Lopez and her superficial glam image was probably closer to who he is. But then even with her, he wouldnt have lasted. In fact strangely enough he would probably have bailed alot sooner than he did with Garner. We know he had already started cheating on Lopez before they married so he was already somewhat bored with her. In Garners case, he stayed because it was beneficial for his image but a marriage to Lopez wouldnt even have that redeeming quality.

        For the young readers: Lopez and Affleck epitomized empty shallow celeb culture back then in the way that Kanye and Kim K do today. They had their followers but most of Joe Public LOATHED them. it was considered a stain on ones intelligence to claim that there was anything redeemable about them. Can you imagine Affleck trying to be a respected director under those circumstances? I even question whether he would even have found financing for The Town were it not for how being with Garner softened his image and allowed people to reevaluate him.

      • Kitten says:

        “Lopez and Affleck epitomized empty shallow celeb culture back then in the way that Kanye and Kim K do today. They had their followers but most of Joe Public LOATHED them. it was considered a stain on ones intelligence to claim that there was anything redeemable about them.”

        Um, I was around for all that and I absolutely don’t remember that being the prevailing sentiment. I think most people were fascinated with them because they seemed such an unlikely pairing. I certainly wouldn’t compare them to Kanye and KK. Besides the fact that J Lo and Affleck are both arguably talented (unlike KK), that was also the height of J Lo’s popularity. Sure, it was amusing to see J Lo mold Ben into a living Ken Doll but aside from that, I don’t think there was anywhere near the level of active hatred that exists for KK and Kanye.

  19. Jayna says:

    I think he’s devastated about the children. We keep forgetting it’s a real family and these girls and little boy love their daddy. Even if you want out, breaking up and dealing with the heartbreak of small children is devastating to witness. A marriage never breaks down for one reason. That is true. But Ben is the one that wants out and Jen probably hung on trying to save it because what mother wants to lose even part custody of their children at such an age and lose the family unit. I get hanging in there for longer than probably was warranted on both sides. I don’t think Ben when interviewed will ever lay any of the blame on Jennifer, but instead praise her, but he will say, like this, they both tried. Which I’m sure he did try in therapy but it wasn’t there for him anymore, and probably why we see his addictive behavior escalate. He felt trapped but to leave would hurt many people, so kept trying to fit in, only to cause his drinking and gambling to increase.

    Chris Martin really hurt Goopy for years, as she tried to hold the marriage together, by being emotionally distant towards her. He admitted this. He wasn’t vilified for the divorce.

    Mark was probably the much bigger cause in the J-lo divorce because she said when she finally admitted they should divorce he agreed, and she said that’s not what she wanted to hear. She wanted him to fight for the marriage. But he knew it was over and wanted to move on too. She will never tell all that went on in the marriage but she admitted it was wrong for years, so I’m sure Mark did many hurtful things in the marriage. Yet he wasn’t really vilified for the breakup.

    Ben, of course, is a lightning rod on here. He’s at fault for the breakup, but I don’t think he’s a bad person. I think he was a person that on paper knew Jen was the perfect wife for him and kept trying to put himself in a box devoted to her, but I believe ultimately he wasn’t “deeply” in love with her, no matter how much he tried to hide from it. I think he loved her and adored his kids, so kept trying to conform to the marriage. I think his demons with addictions always come out when he’s not happy, and that’s what we have been seeing.

    Mark and Chris both seem to really love their children and do what’s best for them during the divorce and forge new relationships with their exes that show respect and put the children first in that way. And Goopy and J-LO wanted that and worked toward fostering that type of relationship also. I expect Ben and Jen to do the same.

    • Kitten says:

      Agreed.

    • zinjojo says:

      Good analysis, and I think you’re right on. Divorce IS devastating and difficult, even when you know it’s necessary and the right thing to do. And breaking up the family unit is hard, no matter what, whether you’re the one who wants out or the one who is trying to hold it all together.

    • I Choose Me says:

      Well said. I think this is probably pretty damn close to the truth.

    • Maia says:

      Well said. I don’t understand why people need to vilify one person all the time. These things are complicated and most of the time both parties bear responsibility.

      • Bob Loblaw says:

        It’s not about vilifying one party, it’s about being honest about why relationships fail. People always say, it’s complicated, there were many factors and 99 times out of 100, it’s not complicated, one person cheated and the other found out. I don’t know why people want to pretend otherwise. Cheating kills relationships. I’m not saying everyone cheats but almost every divorce I know of came about because of cheating.

    • Lesley says:

      @jayna
      I have been trying to understand what I really think and believe based on all I have read and on millions of CB posters opinions and yours rings truest to me. 100 percent agree with you- I think he WANTED to be in love with her but wasn’t. Spark was absolutely gone and was not coming back. It sad but I feel like he gave it his all ( although is all is less than most would expect/ demand, in a partner) I do get both sides. It is equally hard being the one to have to hurt everyone because of a lack of something you feel. I have been this person and it’s selfish but unfair to stay in something that is misery for you. You can’t be a good parent or even a good person when you feel trapped. I’m not making excuses for his dalliances, but on some level, I do think he tried the best he could

      • Kitten says:

        I’ve been that person too. No, I never married or had children with the guy, but I can also see how that could happen.

        Ben and Jen were in therapy for 2 years. He was obviously committed to trying to save the marriage. But when you’ve exhausted all possibilities trying to save something that is unsalvageable, sometimes you just have to let that ship sink.

    • Cindy says:

      I agree. I don’t think he wanted, or wants now, to hurt Garner. I have a feeling he knows he is limited when it comes to commitment and I think he tried to hang in there as long as he could. Yes she helped rehabilitate his image but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love his kids. Affleck has problems, I think he realizes this. He doesn’t strike me as a bad person so much as a messed up one. I don’t believe he’s cut out for marriage to anyone, and I wonder if the weight that is lifted once he is single, won’t make him a better father. I believe there are plenty of really bad guys out there who enjoy causing women distress, I just don’t see malice in his actions, just self destructive addictions. But… What the hell do I know. I could be reading this all wrong and he’s a heartless douche. I’ve been wrong plenty of times before!:)

  20. serena says:

    Devasted? He wanted out for a long time. I can’t wait till he comes out with his new young 20something sidepiece.

  21. kibbles says:

    This marriage was over a long time ago. Said so in yesterday’s thread that problems became evident around 2005. Garner turned a blind eye to his infidelities, boozing, and gambling for many years. Those issues probably only started really bothering her when he made them more evident to the public. There’s a difference between agreeing to be in a sham marriage and getting embarrassed weekly whenever someone finds him in a place he shouldn’t be (a casino, in Vancouver with strippers, etc.). Maybe he wanted out of this marriage so badly that he kept pushing his limits, wanting to get caught, or simply did not care if she knew that he was no longer committed to making things work.

    • Blue says:

      Agree that their marriage has been long over for many years but I think it was never the right time to split until now because his image had not been fully rehabilitated until his Oscar win, getting the batman role and the media now portray him as one of the best directors in Hollywood. Ben is now back on top in Hollywood with his image and career and he no longer needs Jen for that fake happily married family man BS he has been shilling the past ten years.

  22. ToodySezHey says:

    My shallow gossipy senses are tingling.

    Isn’t it funny that Goop and Affleck separate and plan to divorce within the same year?

    I rememeber reading a blind item from ages ago about an actor who had heard rumors that an ex was leaving her husband and he was interested in giving that relationship another go…but then his wife got pregnant and he had to abandon that plan. That bi was widely rumored to be about Goop, Affleck and Garner.

    Call me crazy but….I wonder what collateral damage Goop and her split did to Affleck marriage.

    It’s a thought.

    • wendi says:

      Speaking of Goop, it’s interesting how her break up didn’t receive the same detailed analysis and “insiders'” accounts as this one. Maybe her friends are more loyal? Or is it simply that people care less about her and there’s less of a story…

      • Jayna says:

        I read a lot right in the first few weeks, all the supposed sources. You know how it goes. Then it died down.

    • Ceda says:

      Doubtful. Goop was on Stern afew months ago and she did not have good things to say about Affleck. She has zero fondness for the time she spent with him and besides, i think she would view getting back with him as betraying her dads memory. Her dad was after all very happy when she and Ben broke up. He hated Ben.

      • Esmom says:

        I remember them as being an odd couple, a distinct downgrade for Paltrow. In fact, I can’t recall him ever being with someone who seemed “right” for him, including JLo and Garner.

    • tracking says:

      nah, I don’t think so. If he thought Garner was a controlling nag… and I agree with Esmom, he’s really not her type.

    • DIANE says:

      If it was ages ago, then maybe it was when JLo broke up with Mark. Maybe Casper’s just a beard and she’s been seeing Ben all along.

  23. CK says:

    I could see J. Lo taking him back. Why? She has the same taste problem that Halle Berry unfortunately still suffers from.

    • Dem says:

      JLo is definitely foolish enough to do it but would Ben want her? We know she is the type to look the other way while he drinks, plays around and gambles his way across the country but she is in her mid forties. I think Ben will be eyeing twenty-something year old wannabe models/actresses.

  24. ToodySezHey says:

    Wendi, I’m guessing it’s because neither she not Chris Martin have nasty drug and alcohol problems that torpedoed their marriage.

    Most people know Ben has alcohol, gambling and fidelity issues, but most most don’t know about the hardcore drug use. That’s what’s not gonna be talked about the next few days

    • pk says:

      Yesterday there was a solved blind on Blind Gossip that said the divorce was because of Ben’s addictions including drug use. It stated that Jennifer and Matt Damon have tried to get him into rehab and he refused and finally Jennifer had to think of what was best for the kids. Anybody who has a loved one with addiction knows the pain they are going through. It’s quite sad to see someone have the world by the tail and throw it all away.

  25. ToodySezHey says:

    Lainey had a blind about Ben and his drug issues that his team for the most part has kept hidden

  26. Krystal says:

    Divorce is always a sad thing even if its what is best for everyone, its still devastating. Also, I keep seeing comments about how Jenniifer cheated on Scott, he has said several times that there was no cheating involved but people who don’t like her refuse to believe it. I also don’t think she was trying to climb the hollywood social ladder or whatever when she got with Ben cos his career was not doing so great at the time, I actually think hers was doing better, it might be for other reasons we don’t know which may include the fact that he’s hot but definitely not cos of his career that was in the toilet after the whole J.Lo debacle.

    • Dem says:

      Very true. Ben was toxic in Hollywood terms when Jen married him. He hadnt had a hit in years and everybody believed that he didnt even deserve the writing credit on Good Will Hunting. He was regular subject in Lettermans and Lenos monologues, plus he had a history of addiction. I really think Jen, very stereotypically, fell for a bad boy. Nobody who sees the infamous Dinner For Five episode can in all good conscience say that woman wasnt madly in love with him or claim it was all just some mighty plot to climb some imaginary Hollywood ladder.

      • Jayna says:

        I thought the same thing. What’s interesting, in hindsight, after an anniversary of Good Will Hunting not all that long ago, where they had an interview of all the participants (even Robin Williams) and followed the timeline of writing and getting the movie made, it really appeared to me that Ben was more the talent in writing that script (my gut feeling) or at the least as much involved in that script as Matt was. Matt had one chapter done for a college course, which is all that was required, when Ben came on the scene and they began writing the script for a movie. I think Matt said most of that chapter he first wrote ended up being scrapped. Although, definitely both guys worked in tandem together and were devoted to the project, but it’s an urban myth that Matt was the major writer on that script.

        . It was a fascinating interview and timeline of getting that movie made and their perseverance and almost aging them out of the movie it took so long.

  27. db says:

    The narrative seems to have been tweaked slightly. Earlier accounts threw a little shade on Jennifer for not getting with Ben’s program of back to back projects, chronic fooling around and gambling. anyone with addiction issues knows it’s not a simple lifestyle choice, and it must have been very hard on them both trying to work it out. I give them big credit for trying to hang in there.

  28. weirswalker says:

    He did everything he could to save the marriage, and he’s a great dad ? He took projects that took him away from his family for months..how much money does he need ? And he’s a great dad ? Parenting from across the globe or from the card tables ? give us a break

    • tracking says:

      exactly, so clear this account came from his camp. The kicker is the concluding line, something along the lines of he did his best on all fronts, BUT THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR HER(!) Barf.

    • Jayna says:

      He wasn’t gone from his children for months. Just like Hugh Jackman and most other actors who are striking while the iron is hot in a certain period of their career are away on location. Mark Ruffalo talked about the same thing, certain period of his career where he was gone a lot for roles. Eventually he had to make a change, but he had that period too. Matt Damon of all people at his peak was off doing a ton of movies. It did take a toll, because at one point he had to cancel doing a movie last minute he had been gone so long away from his family on projects..

      Ben is NO different during this peak. He was offered three amazing projects, which happened to be back to back. When he was in Detroit, almost every weekend it appeared Jen and the kids were there and/or Ben was back home, as evidenced by pap shots. He was away and had to navigate being a weekend dad for this period of time or every other weekend for movies, but if it makes him a bad dad, then Meryl Streep was a bad mother at her peak, Hugh Jackman, on and on.

      • tracking says:

        He was different, Jayna, if it’s true that he spent much of his precious free time not with his family but out gambling and carousing (“pursuing outside interests” was the euphemism I believe his camp used, ahem). That much worse in a situation where has has multiple back to back projects.

      • Reese says:

        @Jayna. I agree in principle that simply working shouldnt be taken to mean that you are a distant parent. But lets get honest here. Ben isnt just working, he is frequently spotted partying. Ben doesnt seem to understand that twitter completely changed the celebrity landscape. Even if you spend your nights in out of the way, somebody will report back to the world. And honestly I have never seen a married celeb with kids sighted out on the town on twitter as frequently as Ben is. Wasnt there a thing just recently where Jen was in NYC and Ben who is supposedly on Daddy duty is being spotted gambling in Vegas? I’m not saying the kids were by themselves, I’m sure they have child care but theres something very off about that.

        Even steering away from the issue of how much time he actually spends with them, please lets talk about the quality of time he has with them. He has himself said that he isnt very present when he is around them. Like he will be in the room but thinking about work or actually working.

        I know it sounds like we are crafting a fictional villain with no redeeming qualities when we talk about Ben but then honestly, once in a while you do meet people who have few to no redeeming qualities.

      • Maia says:

        I do think that being away back to back for months at end takes a huge toll on a marriage. Now there are certain partners who will put up with it BUT only if the relationship is worth it. So, if Hugh Jackman is an amazing father and husband who makes up for his absence in many ways and is genuinely loved and cherished by his wife, I can see his wife gritting her teeth and putting up with long periods of absence.
        I suspect that two things went on : Jen and Ben did not share a good foundation to the relationship. The love respect and appreciation was lacking from the beginning, even though they genuinely WANTED to make the marriage work. Her tightly wound up Martha Stewart ways were alien to Ben and his own issues rubbed her the wrong way got the relationship off on a bad footing. There were rumours about problems – therapists, sex therapists as early as 2007 – two years into the marriage. So fundamentally the marriage was on a weak footing. Second, once Ben realized he was unhappy his personal issues came to the forefront and took over and that snowballed into a worse situation.
        Now there could have been two ways to fix it: Ben could have realized what was happening and refused to be away from his family for months at end. He could have not taken on such ambitious projects, stepped out of film-making for several months till the relationship was back on track. OR he could have committed to travel back each week or ten days to spend quality time with Jen and their kids. I suspect that neither happened. When Ben did come around to LA I think that instead of making it up to Jen he indulged in his hobbies, his gambling. Jen got more and more resentful. Family time became more and more toxic and it imploded.
        It may seem that most of the blame lies with Ben and his need to prioritize his career. But that is not what I am saying. Many ambitious and talented people decide to do that at some stage of their lives. But you can only pull it off, AND sustain a happy marriage if you are 1. married to someone you share a great relationship with 2. Are very self-aware and can preempt the problems before they balloon. Neither was true in this case.
        Jen and Ben were simply not compatible and nor were they self-aware enough to see what was happening. A third factor is that they are both wealthy and attractive and will have no dearth of alternatives going forward. Many people, in exactly the same situation will decide to ride it out because they know that they will never meet anyone better than their current partner. Not true for either of them.

      • L says:

        He left his children in the middle of the night to gamble. Nice dad.

  29. minx says:

    They were a mismatch from the start.
    I don’t hate Ben because he’s an addict and needs help. Whether he gets it and sticks with it remains to be seen.
    It’s by no means ideal but they are all better off.

  30. Snowball says:

    Why is it so impossible to believe he might be devastated? Divorce sucks, which ever way you swing it. Even as the person who wants out, it still sucks. Who really wants a failed marriage on their resume? That said, Ben may have his truckload of issues but Jennifer knew this going in. He may have cleaned up his image for the public but in private she had to have been well aware of his vices. She got in there with her eyes wide open as a fully grown, already once divorced woman so I’m not sure I get the outpouring of sympathy for her and the condemnation of Ben. She wasn’t some young virgin led astray by the town lothario. Is he a douche? Yes. Did she know she was getting with a douche? Yes. You can’t *fix* someone just because you want to. Jennifer has learned this too late it seems but that’s on her.

    • minx says:

      Agree.

      • Lurker says:

        I said pretty much the same thing further up. His love of gambling, strippers and booze were well-known long before she came along.

    • Yea..,..I could see the “poor Jennifer” narrative going on, if she had been 22 instead of 32 when they got married.

    • Bob Loblaw says:

      Why shouldn’t people feel sorry for her? She’s now a single mother of three young children, do you really believe Ben is going to be any better now that they’re divorcing? His kids are getting screwed, so yes, I feel bad for their mother.

  31. dh says:

    maybe she looks frumpy because she is depressed and stopped caring- Maybe she spent her time working, working out, caring for kids, dealing with a crumbling marriage and just no longer had any energy to give a damn about what she wore. On the other hand, she could easily pay for someone to line up a few outfits.. slap her hair in a pony tail and some big sun glasses and she instantly looks good. Get rid of the skinny jeans, please, and terrible shoes.

    I’m sure she’s spent 10 years being routinely disappointed by Ben, which can wear a gal down. I think she probably was raised to know her worth and finally got sick of being treated poorly.

    I’m sure he spent 10 years being reminded of how disappointing he has become to someone who once worshiped him. Combine that with the rest of the world saying how great he has become and her nagging would get old quickly. He needs someone who worships him. I think he checked out of this marriage and she finally recognized there was no going back to 2004.

    • Jayna says:

      Jen has said she loves being glammed up for red carpet events and all the fashion she gets exposed to for that, but other than that she just doesn’t care in her day-to-day life.

      An interview last year.

      “I’m in New Balance sneakers every day. I try not to be because I get made fun of by my husband and friends, but it’s not natural for me to think about how I look on a daily basis,” she said. “I’m not someone who should be in a beauty spotlight. I was one of those people who wore pajamas to class every day in college, and I would still be that way if I could! … I’m kind of my own walking beauty disaster.”

      Garner, 42, also said that she feels she has “grown out of” wearing makeup. “I almost never wear makeup unless someone is putting it on me for work. I do usually use a little concealer around my nose or under my eyes, but that’s as far as I go,” she shared. “I used to wear mascara every day, and I don’t know why, but it feels fake or something. I’ve just grown out of it.”

      I don’t think depression or Ben had anything do do with it. This is just how Jen is. Busy with kids brought it out even more, I agree, for better or worse.

      • lila fowler says:

        The part of that quote that caught my eye was, “I try not to be because I get made fun of by my husband”.

  32. Heather says:

    I just saw this blind item on another site and thought you all would find it interesting…I have never heard of some of these “issues” and it makes me re-think the whole Blake Lively situation…

    May 27, 2015At this point, almost everyone knows this couple is headed for a breakup. Child care and custody have been divided and payments discussed. I think maybe they each hold out hope they will get back together, but there are a lot of issues. Some, are kind of out there for the world to see. There is the womanizing and the drinking and the gambling. On her part there is that she expects things to be a certain way and is compulsive and almost OCD in her every day life. She can be a huge pain and it is not like she has a bunch of great recommendations from any of her exes. There has never been a good split with anyone in her life.There is more though. It is his way of risking everything by taking huge chances like he wants to get caught. There was the former B+ list mostly television actress from the hit almost network show. They hooked up a bunch over a very short period of time and if he had left his wife then, there would have been an entirely different past two years that took place. She would much prefer him to her current. Not even close.There was the co-star he got pregnant. That was something that has continued to require a great deal of rug sweeping. Lots and lots. The co-star who got pregnant thinks she has everything under control on her side but when our star gets drunk he starts calling in the middle of the night and the co-star has a tough time explaining the late night calls to her significant other.Oh, and speaking of late night calls. The odds on favorite to claim our guy should the split become official is his ex. Yep. That ex. The one you are thinking about. They hook up all the time. All the time. With her job prospects suddenly limited, she thinks this would be a great time to get back together. When she was with him, she was at her peak. It was because of the buzz that she reached her peak. She wants that buzz. She wants the flashbulbs. Hopefully he has more sense.Don’t even get me started on the dozens of dealers and part-time hookers that are in casinos that he has spent hours or nights with. Any of them could spill their story and make a few bucks. It is shocking that to this point none have. Maybe they all think he will come back to them.Ben Affleck/Jennifer Garner/Scott Foley/Michael Vartan/Blake Lively/Ryan Reynolds/Jennifer Lopez

    • TeamGarner says:

      How come no one is jumping on this? He got a co star pregnant?

      He is definitely having an affair with with either Olga from to the Wonder or Gal Galbot (?) Wonder Woman because the blinds are throwing “Wonder” in there. So its one of the two and that is how desparately he was trying to save the marriage!

  33. Whatever Gurl says:

    Garner is a manipulative co-dependent.

    Case in point: remember the Oscar speech when Ben discussed their marriage as a lot of hard work, with her doing most of it.

    Image-obsessed Garner countered with “I know what he meant. What he really wanted to say is blah, blah, blah.

    Lies, lies, lies to support her image as Hollywood’s favorite mom because that is the force driving the generous endorsements

    • Reese says:

      Gurl have I got news for you. The Oscar speech hurt Bens image far more than it hurt Jen. Mini van moms were very sympathetic towards her, in fact the general sentiment was that she needs to leave him. Ben on the other hand was widely viewed as the douche bag who turned his Oscar speech into an occassion to air dirty laundry at best and at worst make a passive aggressive dig at his wife.

      Also, please! It is well established that Ben is far more obsessed with his image. Did you forget the Finding Your Roots incident? He is obsessed with how we view him that he put pressure on them to edit his ancestors links to slavery. I mean seriously! It still disgusts me just thinking about it. This man married a woman he clearly had no interest in to salvage his image for goodness sakes. And he has publicly blamed his ex, J Lopez for his previous Public Relations crisis (which he used J Garner to repair), that is a man who spends an inordinate amount of time watching what people say about him.

      I’m pretty sure the damage control after his Oscar speech was orchestrated by him. For one, he addressed it far more than she did. I mean remember how his SNL monologue was just him trying to spin that mess? Now see the articles his team is feeding the media. This man really really really REALLY cares about his public image.

      By the way, Jennifer Garner loses nothing of her favorite mom image from her divorce. For years, the comments sections on those sites have consisted of people urging her to get rid of Bens toxicity and just focus on the children. This was never a Brad and Angie deal where people actually thought that they were BOTH hands on parents. If anything people will be keen to see her learning to parent officially as a single mum, afterall, a good deal of us were raised by single parents and/or are single parents ourselves.

      • The Original Mia says:

        All of this. Preach it, Reese.

      • LizzyFizzy says:

        + 1 to infinity & beyond!

        He came out looking like a jerk in that speech and still is right now with his silly PR spin (probably intended for Batman) about the end of the marriage. I could care less about that project (keep getting it confused with cheap, silly-looking Suicide Squad), but I’m very interested to see what Jen does going forward AND would love to see her return to a cool Sydney Bristol type role as a forty-something. More movies for Jen, please!

      • lisa2 says:

        I think that Oscar Speech was another example of him being Passive Aggressive. I mean how much does he have to do for her to say enough. After that they went on SNL and made fun of it.. but you could see some strain.

        He is the kind of guy that will screw up for you to call it quits. It has worked in the past over and over again. I think he probably thought she would have enough and call it quits. But she didn’t and that must have made him resent her and his life more and more.

        They to me were never meant to be. Never meant to last as long as they did. They are not the first couple to have only meant to be a great time for a year or so and not a lifetime.

  34. lila fowler says:

    He’s devastated and his wife complained that she felt ignored because he spent so much time away from home filming, but he still signed up to be Batman, a many-years commitment? Hmmmm no. I don’t think so. It’s not like someone held a gun to his head to take on all of these projects. If he’d wanted to spend more time at home, he would have. He clearly did not. Bottom line, you can’t change a person. Men will do what they want, when they want to.

    • word says:

      This was the reported reason for Jen’s first divorce. She was doing Alias at the time and was working A LOT. She rarely saw her first husband and it was reported this lead to the divorce. How ironic this same “excuse” is being used this time around. I mean Ben and Jen are both actors, they knew that going into the marriage. To be honest, I think the real reason they got married was because Jen got pregnant. She was pretty far along when they tied the knot remember? Also, why keep having kids then? Ben has had a “busy schedule” their entire marriage and has issues with alcohol and gambling the entire 10 years. Their youngest is only 3 years old. None of this makes sense, but I do feel bad for the kids.

  35. Whatever Gurl says:

    Question: if his gambling, sex, alcohol addictions are what makes him a horrible husband, how does it make him a wonderful dad?

    Is he the lovable drunk with his kids?

    Is the womanizer husband a doting dad?

    I have to think that she is going for full custody right? Who would let a hungover dad be in charge of your kids?

    • Dem says:

      I think they have agreed on joint custody but I doubt Ben has any real interest in raising those kids. I’m sure he is going to have a monthly scheduled pap walk with them, just so he doesnt get tagged with the Tom Cruise label, but I doubt he will actually pick them up from school three times a week or have them sleep over however number of times a month.

      I also think him staying on the compound in the interim is more about him needing that stability of home while keeping an eye on Jennifer than actually raising the kids. I guess I just dont buy Ben Affleck in the good father role.

  36. MSat says:

    I don’t know if “Ben’s career” was quite the issue. Based on some of Jen’s previous comments over the years, it was more that Ben’s career was more important than hers. She said in an interview that once the kids were born, they agreed to “take turns” working. But it certainly didn’t pan out that way. She has taken on a few roles but for the most part, it’s been “Ben’s turn” for years. Her shelf life as a leading lady slipped away. In a few short years she went from doing lead roles in rom coms to playing “The Mom” character (Juno) — before she was even 35! Maybe now she is feeling like she gave the prime years of her career to a guy who wasn’t really worth it after all. The upside is she has 3 adorable kids out of the deal, and will probably never need to work again unless she wants to… but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a lot of regrets over the years she missed out on while her career was hot.

    • tracking says:

      I think this is a piece of it. I think she had ambitions that she put on hold for her family. If she had been doted upon and appreciated, maybe she would have been okay with it and hung in there even longer. But to be taken for granted and expected to handle all domestic responsibilities while being the only one who makes professional sacrifices? Sorry, it’s not the 1950s. It is, however, the sad reality of a woman’s lot that losing multiple years of work options due to three pregnancies during the most prime professional years is hard. No matter what you do.

    • Even so, I don’t get how they couldn’t work that out…….because even if it was always Ben’s turn, she could just put her foot down, sign up for a few roles, hire a nanny (no clue if they have any or not), and bring the kids with her on set. It’s not like she doesn’t have the money to do this…….but my thoughts are that she went with whatever he wanted. Guess she learned that lesson.

    • Jayna says:

      I think a lot of it was Jen by the time she was pregnant with the third and even before. She said often Ben had to encourage to take a role that she was going to turn down. After Sam was born, she was going to turn down Dallas Buyers Club. She was happy at home and couldn’t see leaving her baby. She said Ben is the one who encouraged her to take it saying they would make it work. She said he told her he saw how different she was when working and that she needed it. She said she broke down crying the first day on set in Atlanta and was so embarrassed but missed her babies. But she said Ben was right. Once she was on set for a while she remembered everything she loved about working with other actors and the whole experience. Ben would bring the kids up for the weekend or she would fly home over the weekend. When Ben got the three projects back to back starting last summer with Batman, she a few months ago said it’s the longest span she’s taken off, wanting to be with family, but then took two projects herself back to back while Ben was working, which was unusual for them because they usually swapped off. But she said things would work out but she wanted these projects and the time was right. Of course, what we didn’t know was she has known for a while the marriage was on its last legs.

      Ben isn’t some evil guy who discouraged her as an actress. It seems they had a working dynamic that suited them before he got over-the-top busy. And Jen seems to have wanted the smaller roles that didn’t take her away from her children long. She said in the early years of their marriage she and the kids would go with Ben on location or vice versa, but that everything had changed once the kids hit school age and she realized that couldn’t work anymore.

      Julia Roberts downscaled her career for years when her children were young. Gwynneth Paltrow did also. These are choices women get to make, that they don’t want to go off and do four-month movies. I think Jennifer has loved being a full-time mom and part-time actress here and there, doing quite a few acting projects over the years, and doing all of her endorsement work and her volunteerism for children. And I think she’s finished with baby making and the youngest is now old enough where she now wants to work more.

      Yes, she would have been more fulfilled if she felt loved and adored by Ben these last five years of marriage. That goes without saying.

    • dottie says:

      MSat……except that jen herself said this:

      “My husband is always the one saying to me, ‘You have to work, you have to work. This is part of who you are. We’ll figure it out’ … That’s powerful, when your partner has that serious mantra.”

      – Garner speaking to Elle in 2014, about how Affleck supports her career
      http://bit.ly/1UdaUyA

  37. moot says:

    two words: Olga Kurylenko

    • OSTONE says:

      Lainey just confirmed to the “wonder” on the Rachel McAdams article, that she didn’t have anything to do with it. So yeah, Olga.

    • kcarp says:

      i think there is more to this story than conflicting schedules, gambling, and booze. they were content to do the happy bs pap strolls yet they have been separated 10 months? BS….There was something that happened and likely it was him not willing to dump his side piece or Jennifer not willing to go along with this side piece.

      Something happened to pull the trigger it wasn’t gradual

  38. Lurker says:

    The DM has an article talking about J.Lo. How her and Ben have reconnected. I could believe they could be doing it, but there’s no way they will be public again. He was way too much of a joke during Bennifer to ever do that again.

    • TuesdaysChild says:

      Oh I don’t know. A lot has changed between then and now and Ben’s got far more clout in Hollywood than he ever did back then. I don’t think he’d be some sort of pariah if he ever got back with JLo, especially if Batman does very well.

      • Lurker says:

        I think she’s too old for him. I can see him in 2-3 years, with an early-30s type and a new baby.

  39. ann says:

    I hope Jennifer Garner finds a wonderfully boring ,stable man and lives happily ever after.

    • Blue says:

      She did find one and divorced him because she wanted to upgrade to a big movie stahhhh. Her 3rd husband will be rich and a power player in Hollywood that’s her type.

  40. anon33 says:

    I don’t see that anyone else posted this…

    I was watching E! News (I know, I know) either last night or the night before, and they ran a story saying that J-Lo and Caspar HAD IN FACT OFFICIALLY broken up. Not that on/off crap he was spouting last week.

    Interesting timing.

    • lisa2 says:

      Well there are pics of them in NYC walking 2 dogs.

      I don’t see Ben and Jlo getting back together. She has 2 kids now. He has 3. These are not the same people they were all those years ago.

  41. iheartgossip says:

    I would be surprised if he and JLo reunited. On a talk show, she answered the Kill, Marry, ‘F’ question and she said she’d Kill – Ben. Now, maybe she was trying to throw things off, but I don’t think so. JLo has a big ego and small self-esteem – which is why she finds favour with that nasty, young Bear thing she is currently ‘dating’. JHo needs ’em young and dumb. Not old ‘n dumb like Ben.

  42. cynth says:

    Some (most?) of the press coverage indicates that the 2 camps are mud-slinging back and forth but there is nothing I’ve read to support that. Ben is taking the brunt of the criticism – i.e. drinking, being away too much but there is nothing negative about Jennifer. All they say is that his team downplays the drinking/addiction aspect of it.

    In general – and independent of this situation- Jennifer doesn’t seem to have done anything to warrant major criticism. Sure she’s raked over the coals for her clothing choices and she’s not what you’d call an A-list or Oscar-worthy actress, but this has nothing to do with her character and how she lives her life. In those areas – where it really counts – she appears to score top marks.

  43. Tara says:

    Ben cares too much about his image and career to get back with J. lo. So I don’t buy that part. And of course their camps are controlling the coverage. Affleck is just like a fake politician when it comes to media coverage. Look at the way he handled the special done on his ancestry. He kept writing excuses to cover his own behind because he was so worried it would make him look bad.

  44. Lisa says:

    NEWS UPDATE!

    It is Gal Gadot, the new woman in A$$leck’s life. Lainey’s “wonder”.

    This is big if true.

    • Maia says:

      I would not believe it unless I see a picture of some sort. It would not be the first time Lainey has been mistaken.

    • amccar says:

      Perhaps, Gal Gadot was the brunette that Affleck was with in Nova Scotia back in April. She is not that well known most people would not recognize her.

    • Elfie says:

      Nah, she’s married.

      • amccar says:

        That hasn’t stopped people before…also Lainey is stating that Wonder Woman was the reason why Jen finally had enough.

    • tracking says:

      Yes, she pretty much came out and said it with the Comic Con post today.

  45. Caz says:

    I wouldn’t consider Affleck an Uptrade from Vartan.

    Meh, both knew who each other was. They maintained the marriage for the Image for as long as they could. Couldn’t keep up the charade. They’re both now trying to control what comes out, to try & save both careers. Thats all.

  46. Paige says:

    Tabloids are really reaching with this J.Lo story. When someone ends a relationship, they are suddenly back with their ex-partners. Well it seems that way in tabloid land.
    It seems like celebrity couples that do not find time for each other do not last. Also, couples that have one partner working non stop, while the other one career takes a downturn. I’ve seen this pattern over and over again with celeb couples.

  47. Paige says:

    It seems like celebrity couples that do not find time for each other do not last. Also, couples that have one partner working non stop, while the other one career takes a downturn. I’ve seen this pattern over and over again with celeb couples.

    • lisa2 says:

      you are right. I also never got why they were another of those couples that made such a big deal of not being on RC together a lot.. She would say that Ben was home with the kids and he would say the same when they were not at events together. They have a nanny and they have enough money to pay someone to watch their kids. But as you said they did seem to be one of those couples that didn’t spend a lot of time together.

      Jennifer said she took a back seat to her career while she was married to Ben. I wonder how she is going to keep her career going when they are not together.. especially since she says she likes to stay home with the kids.

  48. dpatz says:

    Unpopular opinion – i think he is devastated not only about the divorce, but about the break-up with her as well. There are enough pics in the last few months where there seems to be some genuine affection and no indication of disengagement from him. But he must have slipped – I think what happened in Canada was the last straw…

    Jen G. – time to get your alias as$-kicking butt in gear. I think an action role for her (and she was soo good at it) would be the right project to get her mind off things…

  49. Jayna says:

    Interesting. Page Six is reporting Ben and Jen and the kids went to the Bahamas to protect the kids when they released the news they were divorcing and spend some quiet time with them as they are adjusting to the news of the parents splitting. And Ben had recently been staying at Matt Damon’s house, not in their home, as Matt and the family are in China this summer where he’s filming a movie.

  50. MadeUp says:

    Jennifer definitely needs a new calculator…that old Texas Instrument Calculator from the Scot Foley’s days is not good enough.

    All these people who are criticizing Ben forget that he was already doing the same back in 2000’s when poor Jen started an affair with Ben while filming Pearl Harbor, when he was still with JLo and she was till married and taking adoring pictures with her husband Scot Foley.

    Jennifer Garner loves photo ops and she knew based on the media coverage of Ben-JLO that he is a gold mine when it comes to media publicity.

    The PR conscious Jen then used Michael Vartan right after the divorce so that no one (including Foley) could suspect infidelity.

  51. Ohlala says:

    garner is the best thing that happened to him. He was in the drain during and after Jlo. He was depressed. When he married garner, his popularity and career went high crazily. He became legit in Hollywood he became bankable. People started liking him because of Jennifer garner and the cute family.
    If rumours are true that he’s reconciling with Jlo, beleive me, life is like a wheel. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down and its rolling.

  52. bliss says:

    Hhhhhhhh